Bonusly vs Kudos (2026): which should you pick?
As of Nov 13, 2026, Bonusly grades higher than Kudos: 2.2 against 1.8 out of 4.0.
Checked Nov 12, 2026 and Nov 13, 2026 · graded Nov 13, 2026 by ToolGPA
Bonusly grades higher on the free plan. They get the same grade on value for money, features, ease of use and platforms.
Price, platforms and features side by side. The table says where each price was read and when.
Which one is for you
Pick Bonusly if
- Fits if your team lives in Slack or Teams and wants a points-for-rewards system
- Works for companies that want recognition tied to milestones
Look elsewhere if
- Skip it if you want wider HR such as payroll or time off, as it only does recognition
- Watch out: rewards are billed at face value when employees redeem them, on top of the subscription
- Watch out: the pricing page shows monthly billing, but its FAQ says all plans are billed annually
- Tight if you need nominations, spot bonuses or SSO, which are Organization-plan features sold through sales
- Watch out: listed prices apply to new customers only
Pick Kudos if
- Fits if you only want recognition and rewards
- Works for teams that connect it to chat and HR tools, with eight listed
Look elsewhere if
- Skip it if you want a price, because only a demo is offered
- Not for you if you want HR records or payroll, as it is recognition only
- Watch out: the site separates 'classic' and 'upgraded' versions with separate help sites
- Not for you if you want to try it first, as no trial is listed
How we grade them
| 2.2GPABonuslyFair | 1.8GPAKudosWeak | |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | C$5 a user a month billed monthly ($50 a year) with Bizy, or $3 without, against a middle of $5 for HR tools. Rewards are billed separately at face value. | CNo price is published, so there's nothing to set against the $2 to $9 a seat a month this category charges. That leaves it at C. |
| Free plan and trial | CA 30-day free trial of the Team or Organization plan, and no payment information is needed. There's no free plan. | FNo free plan and no trial is listed. You start with a demo request. |
| Features | CPeer recognition, a rewards catalog, milestones and check-ins. That's one smaller job within HR, and nominations, spot bonuses and SSO are Organization-plan features. | CRecognition and rewards, which it does fully, but the listing says it is recognition only, with no HR records or payroll. A smaller job, so C. |
| Ease of use | CNo rating on record. You connect Slack or Teams and set up points budgets and rewards. | CNo store rating on record, and you'd set it up with your own people data first, so it's an ordinary C. |
| Platforms and integrations | BWeb, iPhone and Android, plus Slack, Teams and HRIS links. No desktop app. | BWeb only, with eight listed integrations. No mobile or desktop app named. |
| Best for | peer-to-peer employee recognition | recognition and rewards |
The GPA is the average of the five grades: an A is 4 points, an F is none. The full reasons are on each tool's page: Bonusly and Kudos. How we grade
Where they differ
- Bonusly also covers community.
At a glance
| Bonusly | Kudos | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free trial | Paid |
| Starts at | $5 per user / month with Bizy, billed monthly ($50 per user / year billed annually) | Not published |
| Free plan | None | None |
| Free trial | 30-day free trial of the Team or Organization plan, no payment information needed | None listed |
| Web | ||
| iOS | ||
| Android | ||
| Made by | Bonusly | Kudos, Inc. |
| Price read from | bonusly.com | Not confirmed |
| Checked | Nov 12, 2026 | Nov 13, 2026 |
Worth knowing
Bonusly
- Rewards are billed separately at face value when employees redeem them, on top of the subscription.
- The pricing page shows monthly billing, but its FAQ says all plans are billed annually; confirm the term before buying.
- The Organization plan is quoted through sales.
- The listed prices apply to new customers only; existing customers are directed to their account manager.
Kudos
- No prices are published; the site offers a 30-minute demo.
- The site separates 'classic' and 'upgraded' versions of the platform, with separate help sites.
- Recognition and rewards only: it is not an HR records or payroll system.
Key features
Bonusly
- Peer recognition
- Employees give each other points with a message, with admins setting how much each person can give and receive.
- Rewards catalog
- Points are redeemed for items such as gift cards, with country-specific options. The company pays face value for rewards redeemed.
- Slack and Teams
- Recognition can be given from Slack and Microsoft Teams, and through iOS and Android apps.
- Milestone celebrations
- Birthdays and work anniversaries can be recognized automatically.
- Check-ins and growth tools
- Smart-agenda one-on-ones, performance recaps and manager alerts are part of the Team plan.
- Bizy assistant
- An AI assistant priced at $2 per user / month, included in the Team and Organization plans as listed. The Organization plan includes 1,000 MCP tool calls a month.
Kudos
- Employee recognition
- Recognition messages tied to company values, sendable through Teams and Slack.
- Rewards and incentives
- Rewards budget management and incentive programs alongside recognition.
- Awards and nominations
- Nomination-based awards for teams and individuals.
- Milestones and celebrations
- Automated milestone recognition, celebrations and cards.
- AI recognition assistant
- An AI helper for writing recognition.
- Reporting
- Reporting on recognition activity, plus announcements and group Spaces.
Plans
Bonusly
Team + Bizy$5
per user / month, billed monthly ($50 per user / year billed annually)
Peer recognition, Slack and Teams, mobile apps, milestone celebrations, HRIS integrations, 24/7 chat and Bizy. Without Bizy: $3 per user / month.
Organization + BizyCustom
Everything in Team plus announcements, nominations, spot bonuses, company analytics, SAML SSO and a dedicated customer success manager.
Kudos
Pricing could not be confirmed. See kudos.com.
Ways to pay less
Bonusly
- Annual discount
2 months free on annual billing
The pricing page offers two months free when switching from monthly to annual billing, with $50 per user a year against $5 a month.
Kudos
No public discounts listed.
Common questions
Which is cheaper, Bonusly or Kudos?
As of Nov 13, 2026, Bonusly starts at $5 per user / month with Bizy, billed monthly ($50 per user / year billed annually), and Kudos has no price we could confirm.
Which has a free plan, Bonusly or Kudos?
As of Nov 13, 2026, neither Bonusly nor Kudos has a free plan. Bonusly has a free trial.
Which platforms do Bonusly and Kudos run on?
As of Nov 13, 2026, only Bonusly lists iOS and Android apps. Both list a web app. A platform missing from a listing is one its maker's pages did not mention.
More comparisons
How this page was made
- The verdict at the top follows a fixed rule. When both tools are in the same category and either is in our top three for it, the verdict follows that ranking: the higher-placed tool is our pick. The top three weigh who each tool suits as well as its grades, so a pick can go against the GPA. Otherwise the page does not pick one and says which grades higher: the higher GPA first; on a tie, the one with a free plan, then the one that starts cheaper in dollars a month, counted the same way for both; if they are still level, what the choice depends on.
- The grades are our own, from each tool’s review or report card. The GPA is their average.
- Prices, plans and platforms come from each tool’s listing. The table above says where each price was read and when.
- The differences and the answers to the questions are worked out from those listings.